Broken Law
by Shadow knight1121
Summary: Protect and Serve. That was the first thing you learned when you were a rookie. They never prepared us for this though. The dead has risen, humanity is fading and the law means nothing anymore. The only thing anyone respects anymore is the gun. In the end the only person i can trust is myself. OC.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: Another Day**

**Authors Note: Got hooked into the video games so I made this. Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the walking dead.**

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"Hey," A gruff voice said. I didn't budge. After that night of celebrating the arrest and conviction of Lee Everett I was fifty-fifty on calling in sick. I was then woken up by a smack in the arm. "Devon, wake your lazy ass up!"

"I'm up!" I snapped. I looked over at Jack who was driving our cruiser in the direction of the hospital. I looked over at Jack. "Geez, what the hell are we even doing anyways?"

"There have been reports of aggravated assault at the hospital and we are going down there to straighten things out." He said. "Take the shotgun with us this time, I don't want to risk some punk getting breaking into the car and trying to steal it again."

"That was one time and we arrested his ass in time." I grabbed the shotgun and pulled the shells out of the glove compartment. I slowly loaded them into the chamber while helicopters constantly flew over us. "What the hell is going on that requires that many helicopters?"

"Something big buddy, something big." He said.

After I had loaded the gun we pulled into the hospital parking lot. Jack nearly ran over a few idiots who ran out in front of him. Everyone had the same panicked expression as they ran passed us. _'What the hell is going on?'_

"Alright buddy, stay close." He shut off the engine and stepped out of the car. I did the same and took the shotgun with me. I was going to need it. We ran up to one of the doctors.

"What is the situation?" He asked. The woman was covered in blood and was sobbing uncontrollably. "HEY!"

"Jack," I snapped. "She's scared out of her mind and is mumbling incoherently. She isn't telling us anything." He looked over at me and I nodded towards the doors. "Lets go finds some of our boys and they can give us a good idea on what is going on."

We make our way inside past all the frantic patients and screaming doctors only to find a couple of our boys bleeding out on the ground. One was bleeding from the neck while the other was trying like hell to stop the bleeding.

"What the hell happened?" I shouted kneeling next to the two.

"We were trying to restrain this psycho who started freaking out on the doctors." He snapped as he desperately wrapped bandages around his friends bleeding neck. "This guy down in the morgue was playing possum and he bit my friend. He took a huge chunk out of his neck."

He removed his hands and showed the rather large gash on his jugular, he wouldn't last long without proper treatment. I stood on my feet.

"Where is the guy who bit him?" I asked.

"I shot the son of a bitch in the leg, before dragging him outside."

"Let's go find a doctor and detain the son of a bitch." Jack said, rushing down the hallway. I looked down at the two officers before looking back at Jack. "What about these two?"

"We can't help them until we find a doctor." I was still freaking out. "There's got to be one who will have the balls to stick around long enough to help us." I felt something smacking my leg. I look down at the cop.

"Just go he doesn't have long." The cop snapped.

I nodded and quickly followed Jack down into the morgue. I noticed it got quieter as we moved. There were also traces of fresh blood running along the walls and pools of it built up on the floor.

'_What the fuck happened here?'_

"Devon, get in here!" Jack shouted from inside the morgue.

I quickly rushed inside and upon entry I almost lost my lunch all over the floor. The morgue was covered in blood and the floor was littered in corpses and human organs. There were no weapons or any signs of forced entry. Except for a few of the doors on the wall that were open.

I walked over to the storage compartments and checked them for bodies.

"Empty." I said.

"What the fuck is going on?" Jack growled, running a hand through his hair. He scanned the room and shrugged his shoulders. I guess he was banking for a doctor to be here. "Well that's it. There aren't any damn doctors left."

"Shit, what do we do about that poor bastard upstairs?" I asked.

Before he could answer he let out a loud scream. I jumped as he started limping away from a nearby medical table. I looked down at his feet and feel myself drain of color as his right ankle gushes out blood. I quickly rush over to him but immediately jump back when an arm swings out at me from under the table.

I aim my shotgun down at the assailant and bark at him to come out from hiding. He responded with incoherent snarls and gurgles. This guy must be hopped up on something heavy to kill all these people.

A fat guy in jeans and a flannel shirt slides out from under the table and slowly stands to his feet. He leaned on his right leg, since his left one had a bullet hole in his kneecap. He must have been the one who bit that poor bastard earlier, but that wasn't his only odd feature. His eyes were disoriented, his skin was a sickly pale grey and above all else he smelled like shit. I keep my gun on him.

"I said stand down, or I'll put you down!" I warned.

He didn't listen to me. Instead he lunged at me, pinning me against the wall. I assumed he was going for my shotgun, but he seemed hell bent on biting my neck. I head butted his nose before kicking him in the stomach. He staggered back before lunging at me again. He left me no choice but to put him down.

My shotgun at close range turned his head into a pulpy mess. My stomach started to do summersaults and my legs gave away as I fell against the wall stunned and afraid. I stared at the now headless corpse for an hour feeling nothing but dread until I was brought back by Jack's groaning.

"Devon, get up buddy I need ya." He grunted. I was by his side in a second. He was clenching his ankle trying to put pressure on it to stop the bleeding.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Hell no, son of a bitch tore a chunk clean off the back of my ankle." We both looked down at the large wound on his ankle. "Do me a favor and grab some of that alcohol and those bandages."

I nod and quickly rush over to the medicine cabinet. There through the glass sat a bottle of alcohol and bandages. I raised my shotgun and smash the butt through the glass and quickly grabbed the items.

I unscrewed the cap and dumped some on his ankle. He shouted through his teeth while gripping my shoulder painfully but he was tough, he could handle it. After that I wrapped it up with a bandage to stop the bleeding. Once everything was good I helped him to his feet.

"Okay, let's get the fuck back to the station." He sighed before he pulled out my handgun and fired off a round right next to my head. My ears were ringing and I pressed down on them trying to dull the pain. I looked behind me and jumped when I saw one of the doctors from before, lying on the ground with a hole in his head.

"What the fuck Jack!?"

"Hey don't freak out at me!" He said, shoving my gun into my chest before bending down and picking up his own. "He had just gotten up and he wasn't looking to make friends."

"That's it screw it." I holstered my pistol and cocked my shotgun. "Let's get the fuck out of here."

"Fuck yeah," He reached into his pocket and grabbed his keys. "Take them, I can't drive."

"You got it, you need a hand?" He was limping pretty badly. He just waved me off.

"Go on ahead, I can make it." I nodded and took the lead.

I treaded lightly up the stairs and down the hall. I stopped at the corner and poked my head carefully around to see what awaited us. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The cop from before the one who was bitten in the neck was ripping the organs out of his friend's stomach and eating them.

"What the fuck!?" I aimed my gun down the hall. The cop looked up from his victim and let out a feral snarl. I moved in and I blew his goddamn head off only for more of these sick bastards just pop up out of the woodwork.

I unloaded another couple rounds at the bastards but they just kept coming and running out of shells didn't help. I quickly reach into my pocket and pull out a handful of shells. I frantically loaded my shotgun with shaky hands and end up dropping a few shells. I looked up and flinched when a few of them had backed me against the wall. I hadn't even noticed how close they were to me.

One let out a growl and quickly lunged towards me, before I could protect myself I jumped at a loud gun shot and watched as his brains flew all over the place. A few more shots were fired, killing off the rest of these sick fucks. I looked over at the corner and smiled.

"Jack, you rotten bastard I could kiss you." I chuckled.

"You have to buy me dinner first asshole." He joked as he loaded a new clip. "Come on let's get over to my house, my girlfriend should be there. I hope."

"She is brother. Let's just get the hell out of here." I quickly picked up the shells off the ground and finish loading up my gun. We picked off a few more of these bastards on the go before I open up the back door to our car.

"Why do I gotta sit in the back?" He complains. I roll my eyes at his bullshit attitude.

"Because there are too many of these things on the passenger side, now quit your bitching and get the fuck in!" I snapped at him before shoving him inside.

I quickly tossed my gun in the passenger seat before fumbling for the keys and sitting down myself. I shut the door right as one of those creeps start clawing at me. I grimaced at the blood dripping from his mouth and cringe at the smell of his rotten flesh. I didn't waste any more time.

I started up the car and whipped right out of the parking lot. I drove at break neck speed, nearly missing a few cars along the way to Jack's house. All the while Jack was screaming at me to slow down.

"Devon, slow the hell down!" He shouted. "I want to get there but I want to get there alive."

"Sorry," I ease up on the accelerator and feel the car slow down. "This is just…what the fuck is this?"

"I know how you're feeling. That shit was crazy back there." I noticed more of those things clawing at people as we passed them by. My first instinct is to stop and help them, but I got to get my friend home to his girl.

We quickly pull up to his house and he doesn't waste any time getting out. He limps up to the door and I follow after him while gripping my shotgun. He unlocks the door and steps in and I follow him after making sure we were in the clear. When we were inside we noticed that a lot of the windows were boarded up and the furniture was moved around blocking the patio doors and back doors.

"Jen, are you home?" He asked as I closed the door and locked it up tight.

"Jack, I'm in the guest room!" She shouted from upstairs.

Jack quickly ran upstairs and I followed after him up into his guestroom. Inside Jennifer was tending to an old man, who was passed out on the bed with a young woman holding his hand on the side.

"What's going on?" I asked. Jennifer looked up at me.

"These two were being chased by those…things." She pointed out the window. "I saw them and I ran down to help them. Her father started freaking out and had a heart attack down in the street. I couldn't just leave them."

"It's alright you did the right thing." Jack said. The woman didn't once take her eyes off her father. Her eyes were tired and wrinkled, poor thing has probably been running from these things non-stop. I could tell her father was something of a grouch due to that permanent scowl on his face. I can't imagine what her life has been like.

"You should rest." I told her.

"I'm fine," She said scowling at me. Okay, she is just as much a treasure. She let out a tired sigh. "Sorry, I've been on the move since this morning and haven't had a chance to stop and take a breath."

"It's cool, just try and take care of yourself in the process." I reassured before leaving the room. I stepped out in the hallway and saw Jennifer supporting Jack. I didn't notice it before, but he was sweating bullets and his skin was pale white. "Are you okay man?"

"Yeah, I think this wound is infected though." He groaned. I knelt down and checked his bite. I peeled off the bandage and cringed at his wound. The flesh around the bite was starting to turn green and his veins were looking black. Jenny took a look as well. "What the hell is going on?"

"I don't know it is looking like blood poison." She said in a nervous tone. "I'm gonna take him to his room. You can have the spare room."

"Nah I'll take the couch and keep guard." I said. "Maybe keep the lights off too. We don't want any of these things thinking someone lives here."

"Good idea, well I guess we'll see you in the morning." She assured sheepishly. She helped Jack up to their room and I made my way to the living room.

I kept the lights off and the blinds closed. I quickly and quietly barricaded the doors. I moved the coffee table against the backdoor and the couch against the front door. I carefully peeked through the blinds and noticed that these dead things these walkers are more in number now than they were before.

I quickly pull away from the window and sit down on the recliner with my shotgun in lap. I listen to them scratch against the house and growl amongst themselves. I thought back to what had happened back at the hospital. These things were not too bright and they were slow as hell. I think we can take them.

"Hey."

I jumped up gripping my shotgun tight. I looked over at the hallway and saw the girl from before holding her handgun in her right hand. I guess she got tired of looking over her father.

"Hey, how is your dad?" I asked trying to ease the tension.

"He's fine. I'm Lilly by the way. That was my dad Larry." She said and took a seat on the dining room chair.

"I' m Devon." I introduced myself. "I'm a cop for Macon, that guy up there was my partner Jack. We were trying to evacuate the doctors and patients at the hospital when these things just swarmed us."

"Same here, I was stationed at Robins Air Force Base." She explained. "Desk job, but I saw my fair share of combat. It's ho I know how to handle this. My dad and I were meeting for breakfast when…my mom didn't make it."

"Sorry to hear that." I said sincerely. "So, what exactly are your plans for well this crap?"

"Get the hell out of the town and stick to the country side I guess." She shrugged. Seemed like a good enough plan.

"I've seen these things," I started. "and all they do is eat. They have no real motor functions other than walking. They are slow and they have no real intelligence. If we stick to the woods, maybe we can hold out somewhere until this all gets sorted out."

"Seems good, I think I might know a few places." She pondered while rocking her chair back and forth. "I'll talk to my dad about it later in the morning."

"Okay, I'll prepare our gear. What little food we have, some guns around the house and we'll head out at first light."

"Great, well I'll see you in the morning." She smiled. She headed off to the guest room and I made my way into the kitchen. Lucky for us Jen went shopping. I jumped when I heard gunfire from just a few houses away.

I sat back down and kept a firm grip on my gun, just another day in paradise, and possibly our last.


	2. Chapter 2: Slipping

**Chapter 2: Slipping**

**Disclaimer: I do not own the walking dead.**

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"I'm done packing up the food." I told Lilly as she boxed up the canned goods. She couldn't sleep much either so we decided to pack up our food and our medical supplies. She turned around and looked at me.

"Okay, I'll go get my dad while you go get your friends." She explained.

I nodded and made my way to Jack and Jen's room. I was worried about Jack. His leg looked bad last night. I was just hoping he was fit for travel. I approached his door and was about to knocked but stopped when I heard a strange noise. I slowly and carefully press my ear against the door. It almost sounded like someone eating. I knocked on the door.

"Jack, you awake?" No one answered. "Jen?"

I grab the door knob and slowly turn it and carefully opening the door. Nothing could prepare me for what was on the other side. Jen was lying on the bed her eyes were open as was her stomach. Jack had his back to me as he chewed on Jen's innards.

"Wha-What the fuck?" I gasped.

Jack stopped eating and turned around and faced me. Blood dripped out of his mouth and down his chin. His eyes were as pale white and his veins were showing throughout his face and along his neck. I backed up against the wall of the hallway as he slowly staggered to his feet.

I quickly reached for my gun but he was on me in a second. I restrained him by his throat with my forearm. His teeth snapped at me like an angry canine and his breath smelled like shit. I tried to push him off of me but he kept clawing into my shirt. His teeth almost bit my neck until his head blew up into a red pulpy mess.

I pushed his corpse off of me and looked over to see the old man from earlier aiming my shotgun at my former partner. His face seemed to break into a deeper scowl as he stomped towards me.

"You want to tell me what the hell just happened here?" He snapped.

"I don't know he was infected somehow."

"How was he infected?" He snapped and nudged the barrel of my gun in my face. "How do we know you aren't infected?

In an instant I swat the barrel out of my face and head-butt the old man in the nose. He let out a pained grunt and staggered back clutching his nose. Lilly rushed in and put herself between me and him. She tended her father before looking at me with an angry glare.

"What the hell did you do?" She snapped.

"I protected myself from your deranged father." I said, cocking my shotgun. "He had a gun on me and I had to get it away from him."

"He was infected, how the hell are we supposed to know-"

"Next time you pull a gun on me, you'll get it worse than a smack in the face you got it!" I shouted through my teeth. I wasn't going to explain myself to this miserable old bastard. His expression fell a little but he was still scowling.

I turned away from them and knelt down to my friend's ankle. I lifted up his pant leg and pull off his bandages. His bite was covered in some sort of green puss and it was black all around and it looked like it spread all throughout his leg. Then it dawned on me.

"It's the bite." I said in a grim tone. The two looked at me. "That's how this is spreading so fast. They bite you and they infect you. It's gotta be like rabies or something."

"Shit, so that's it?" The old man asked. "One bite and you turn into one of them?"

"Yeah, I think now is a good time to get the hell out of here." I say as I motion to the door.

Lilly nods and looks over at Jen. I hold the shotgun in my hand. It's strange but it feels heavier than it did a minute ago. If these bites infect us and make us into one of them, does that mean it happens even when you're dead.

"Devon, if what you're saying is true then we need to take care of her before she comes back." She says giving me her father's scowl. I don't even acknowledge her right now. I take aim with my shotgun and hold it against her head. I take a breath and jump when Jen starts twitching.

She looks up at me moaning in pain and agony. Her eyes are pale and empty. I pity her before she starts snarling and clawing at me. Whatever she was last night she is no longer here. She is just this mindless thing with the nothing but killing on her mind. I pull out my night stick and bash her brains in. No need to waste a bullet.

"Geez, Devon." Lilly cringes. I reached down and grabbed Jack's handgun and clips. I quickly go downstairs and tell Lilly and Larry to gather up all the food. I rush over to the fire place and grab Jack's hunting rifle hanging above it. I look over at Lilly.

"Can you handle a rifle?" I asked. She nods.

"Yeah, I was in the army and my dad here taught me when I was a kid." She said. I handed her the rifle and the bullets. I went and grabbed poor Jack's leather jacket off the coat rack when I felt Lilly tug at my sleeve. "Wait, I was wondering if we could stop at the pharmacy. My dad needs medicine and you don't have anything."

"Yeah, we need to be prepared for the unexpected." I suggested.

I grabbed Jack's coat and slipped it on. I got it for him for his birthday, but sadly he wouldn't need it anymore. God dammit, why did this have to happen. I grab my back pack and quickly make my way out to the car without looking back.

(!)

We were driving down to the local pharmacy. The town was hit pretty hard, but there were barely any of these walkers lying around. There weren't even any corpses either. My guess is that they just got up when the walkers were done and their remains just moseyed off into the sunset.

"What a god damn messed." Larry snarled from the back seat. I roll my eyes before I feel him kick my seat. "When the hell are more of you guys going to come in and take care of this?"

"We did, yesterday when we went to the hospital." I grunted. "I saw a few good men in uniform die from these things."

"Not good enough."

I slammed on the brakes and listened sounds of tires scrapping against the ground and the protest of my new friends. I park the car and look back at Larry who is rubbing his forehead after slamming it into the back of my seat.

"You listen here you miserable old fuck," I snarled. "I saw a lot of my friends die yesterday and I had just killed two of my best friends because of this shit. So let me tell you something right now. I did not do all this just so I could listen to your fucking shit."

"Devon!" Lilly shouts, I ignore her.

"If you two don't like me then you can just-" I was cut off by the sounds of screaming and gunfire.

I looked over at a small convenient store and saw a woman with a handgun fending off a few of the creepers while two guys fended them off with baseball bats. I turn off the engine and grab my shotgun.

"What are you doing, we don't know them." Lilly snaps.

"Jen didn't know you either!" I retort and rush out of the truck.

I aimed down the sights and fired upon the walkers. I blew their heads off one by one and so did the girl before they were nothing but a pile of black and pulpy bodies. I approached them and calmly showed them my badge.

"It's alright, I'm a police officer." I stated. The three of stared at me confused before sighing in relief.

"Thank you man." The young Asian man said. "We were on our way out of town before we were jumped by these guys." He kicked at one of the walkers I shot in frustration. "I'm Glenn."

"Devon." I nod to them. The young woman is runs a hand through dark brown hair. I think I recognized her. "Aren't you that new reporter from WABE?" She smiled and offered me her hand.

"I'm Carley." She said. I shook it. "I came here to do a story on the Cherry Blossom Festival when my crew was attacked. That's when I ran into these two."

She pointed at Glenn and the young rotund man hiding in the corner. He had a nervous look on his face. I guess he wasn't much of a socializer. He looked up at me and shrugged.

"I'm Doug." He shrugged.

"Devon!"

I looked behind me to see Lilly with her rifle in hand and Larry, scowl on his face, running towards me.

"What happened?" She asked.

"It's alright, everyone is okay." I said. Lilly was about to say something, but Mr. Happy pushed past her and got in my damn face again. This was starting to get on my nerves. "What now?"

"What now, how about you endangering our lives just now?" He barked. "We don't know these people. They could be robbers for all we know. This whole crisis is bringing the worst out in everyone."

"Including you?" I shot back. He narrowed his eyes at me.

"Hey, we aren't thieves or whatever you think we are." Doug snapped. I went to go and calm him down but then Carley started freaking out on them

"Yeah, how do we know you guys aren't some kind of crooks or killers?" She snapped in his face. When Lilly saw this she took offense and she started to freak out. I had to defuse the situation fast.

"Everyone shut the fuck up!" I shouted. This got everyone quiet and their attention. "Look, we are all under a lot of pressure, but we can't go turning our backs on each other. As of now it's us or them and if you aren't going to join us then you might as well join them."

"What are you saying?" Lilly asked.

"I'm saying you have good intentions, but we can't go up against these things alone and we can't survive on our own." This got their wheels turning. "Look, I don't want to discuss this out in the open. Let's get to the pharmacy and talk things out there, okay?"

Everyone seemed to agree on that. We made our way to our vehicles and I told Glenn and his group to follow me. After Lilly managed to calm her gorilla father down we were halfway towards the Pharmacy.

"Okay, when we get there I'll go in and scout the place out." I explained to the two. "When it looks clear I'll call you guys over to clean the place out."

"Devon, we have to talk." Lilly said in a solemn tone.

"What about?"

"About what happened," She said. "I know you're a cop, but we can't take risks like that, especially with the way things are now."

"We need to help people especially with the way things are now." I snapped. "In case you need me to remind you, again, Jen invited you into her home and saved your fathers ungrateful ass!"

"Hey!"

"What, I haven't heard a thank you or a single compliment out of you since the moment we met!" I was losing it and I didn't care, but this old bastard had a heart disease. I had to calm down before things got out of hand. "You know I haven't actually seen you do anything to help anyone. So unless you do something or have any ideas that benefit us shut the fuck up!"

My eyes were on the road but I could feel the two of them glaring at me. Everything was just starting to slip away. When we made it to the pharmacy I felt sick.

I took the keys out of the ignition and pulled my nightstick out of my belt. I stepped out of my truck and looked around the small town. Everything had been boarded up and turned over. I turned back to Glenn who walked up to me with a baseball bat in hand.

"We look clear." I said.

"Yeah." Glenn still looked uneasy.

Lilly stepped out with her dad and we were joined by Carley and Doug who both had the same expression. I looked over at Lilly and I could see that she started to see the error of her ways.

"Hey, look I am sorry." She said. "We've just had a bit of a rough time so far but it's no excuse." Doug was the first to respond.

"Hey, it's okay." Doug said sincerely. "We're all just as stressed, but we can move on."

"Alright, I'll go in first." I said as Carley readied her gun. Glenn quickly stopped her.

"No, no shooting." Glenn said in a panicked tone. I looked at him confused.

"Why not?" I asked.

"These things, they…I don't know why, but they follow the noises. I guess they assume where there is noise there is food. So when we start shooting we might as well be ringing the dinner bell."

Another piece of the puzzle to how these things hunt fall smack dab in my lap. If we were going to scavenge supplies we would need to be as quiet as possible. So Glenn and I make our way in slowly.

The pharmacy was pretty empty. I slowly crept around the corners and aisles of the store and saw one walker strutting around the supply room door. I motioned for Glenn to stay back and slowly crept up behind poor soul.

I raised my baton and brought it down on the back of its head. He fell down, but he didn't go down. I could still hear him slurring and snarling on the ground. He looked up at me and I couldn't help the cold shiver running down my spine at his grotesque features.

His lips were gone, exposing his crooked teeth and rotten gums. His eyes held on iris or pupils and his hair was nothing but weak strands. Killing this thing almost felt like I was doing him a favor. I raised my baton and beat his skull in until his brains splatter out onto the floor.

"We're good Glenn." I whispered.

He nodded and crept towards me. Everything else looked good but we still had the back room to check. I could defiantly hear something crawling around back there. I stood at one side of the door and motioned for Glenn to do the same.

I quickly grabbed ahold of the door handle and whipped it open. There were two more walkers inside and we quickly took them down with our blunt weapons. It was messy, but we managed to take them out. I looked over at Glenn and he looked uneasy.

"Are you okay?" I asked, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Yes, it's just…I don't know. I thought it would be easy." He said.

"I know. These guys actually owned this pharmacy and we just killed them, but they aren't them anymore. They are just…dead."

We don't say another word as we make our way outside.

"It's all clear in here." I announced. Everyone nodded and quickly made their way in. Larry walked past me and noticed my sad expression.

"What happened?" He asked. I shook my head.

"The owners…they didn't make it." He let out a heavy sigh.

"C'mon, let's get them out of there." I looked at him surprised as he walked in.

"Wait, you're gonna just dump them outside?" I snapped. He grumbled at my response.

"No, I'm gonna put them outside so we don't trip over them as we loot their place of business." He responded harshly. It did seem disrespectful to rob the dead. "Then when we're done I'll put them back inside. Now are you coming or not?"

Not wanting to argue I follow him inside. Doug and Glenn were both carrying out the walker I killed earlier and they both looked uneasy when they did it. I joined Larry in the back room. He was wrapping the old lady up in a cloth before picking her up.

"Devon," Lilly said and startling me when doing it. I looked over at her. "The Pharmacy window is locked and the door is barred."

"Did you search these guys for the key?" I asked.

"Yes, neither of them had the key." She placed a hand on her head and let out a tired sigh. "If I don't get my dad those pills he won't last to long."

"Hey we'll get them." I assured. "Just keep the group together for a minute while I help your dad."

She smile and nodded. I wrapped the old man up and carried him out of the pharmacy. I met up with Larry outside and placed the old man down next to his wife in the alleyway. I looked over at Larry and in was surprised to see a solemn look on his face.

"My daughter is worried about me isn't she?" He asked.

"Yeah, she's just concerned for your health." I told him. "You're all she has left."

"I know, look I-"

"Quiet!" I snapped. I quickly pulled him behind the wall. We both looked down the alley and we both started to panic when a small horde of walkers made their way out into the open.

"Come on!" Larry growled.

He grabbed me by the collar and dragged me inside quietly. Everyone looked at us in confusion as I shushed them all.

"Walkers!" I whispered.

Larry and I quickly and quietly blocked the door. Lilly walked up to me.

"Okay, we keep quiet and keep the door closed. They will wonder around for a few minutes before moving on. If we're lucky someone else will make some noises and draw them away."

"It's pretty much all we can do." I sighed. Lilly shrugged her shoulders and walked back over to the window, still trying to unlock it.

I grabbed my shotgun and sat guard in front of the door. This was not a good day.


	3. Chapter 3: Humanity

**Chapter 3: Humanity**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Tell Tales Walking Dead.**

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I don't know how long we've been sitting here but the dim orange lights seeping through the cracks of the windows. Everyone was getting a little antsy at this point, especially when a small group tried to break into a hardware store across the street. The damn fools made such a racket that they alerted every damn walker to them. They didn't last two minutes before their screams died down.

Carley, Doug and I wanted to go and help, but of course Lily and Larry freaked out on us and told us not too.

'_We don't know them.' _Lily said or_ 'They'll get us all eaten alive.' _Larry growled.

'_Fuck'em,'_ I thought. _'Next time something like this happens, I'm helping them. I am a cop after all.' _But I do need to think about the safety of these people as well.

We needed to get somewhere more secure. My truck was close and the path was looking pretty clear. If I was quick I could get to it and get everyone out of here.

That was until a blue pickup truck cruised up and made a lot of noise. I knew that sound anywhere, they were out of gas. Great, just when the fuckers had calmed down.

They all stepped out and I got a good look at them. One was a middle aged man with a black beard and orange trucker hat. He was followed by a blonde woman who had her arm around a young boys shoulder, probably her son. The other two was a little girl with a baseball hat and black shaggy hair. She was accompanied by another man.

Wait, that's Lee Everett. That poor bastard was guilty for killing a senator who was banging his woman. What are the odds that he would be here, guess he caught a break.

"Aw shit!" We both say simultaneously. Everyone gathers up around me and watches as the family starts to get swarmed by the walkers.

I grabbed my shotgun and headed to the doors. Carley soon followed me, gun ready and everything.

"What do you guys think you're doing?" Lily snaps.

"Take a guess." I shot back as I pulled the door open. Lily and Larry shouted at us but I didn't listen.

I rushed outside and bashed the butt of my gun into the face of the first walker I see. He went down easily as another one started staggering me towards me. I raised my gun and blew its face off.

I heard screaming and whipped my gun around to see the boy being tackled by a walker. I went to go and help him when Carley went and put a bullet in its head. His mother and father quickly grabbed him and helped him up.

"Get in the pharmacy!" I shouted as I shot down three more walkers.

Once they were in, Carley and I quickly rushed in while Glenn shut the gate on the outside of the door and snapped a lock on it. Carley and I shut and bar the pharmacy door all the while Lily and Larry are on our asses the second we arrive.

"We can't take risks like that." She warned us. Carley and I rolled our eyes and turned to her with exhausted expressions.

"And we can't just let people die, either." She shot back.

"When I say 'that door stays shut no matter what' I fucking mean it." Lily barked, she looked at our new friends and grimaced. "We don't know who these people are; they could be dangerous!"

"Worse they could have led them right to us." Larry snarled. I stepped up to him.

"I'm a fucking cop asshole, if I say we save them, we save them." I said to his stupid gruff face.

"We have kids with us." Lee pleaded. I nodded at that.

"If I let those kids die I might as well throw myself out there with the rest of those soulless monsters." I said. Larry looked down at the little girl with the ball cap and yellow dress. She had the right idea to hide behind Lee. Larry's face would give any small child nightmares.

"I see one little girl…" He pointed out. I nodded over at the little boy, who is being treated by his mother.

"And there is one little boy!" Glenn steps in between me and the two thugs I have had the misfortune of being with.

"They have kids, Lily!" He snapped and of course Lilly doesn't care.

"Those things outside don't care."

"Maybe you should go join'em, then. You'll have something in common." The man snaps back.

"It's not like he is wrong." I say, crossing my arms over my chest. "You seem to forget that you were a stranger to my friend and she didn't hesitate to take you two into her home and treat your father."

"God dammit Lily, you have got to control these people." Larry snapped at Lily. She looked unappreciated as her eyes drifted to the floor.

"Carley, Devon and Glenn just ran out there!"

"I don't give a flying fuck. We're in a war zone."

"She's the leader here. But it looks like she's losing control of her people." Lee snapped at the two. I looked at him and noticed that the girl had made her way over to the bathroom.

"She's not much of a leader, she just thinks she is." I remarked with a smug grin.

"I didn't see you stepping up and making the hard decisions." She growled at me. I was now face to face with her.

"You mean by abandoning people?"

"Holy shit!" Larry gasped.

We all followed his gaze towards the boy and mother who were sitting at the small concession stand. The boy looked like he was in shock while his mother wiped the walker's blood and grime off of his forehead with a wet towel.

"What?' I asked.

"Son of a bitch, one of them is bitten!" He snarled through his teeth.

"I didn't see him get bitten." I didn't either. I saw him get tackled but Carley shot the walker before he even got that close. Lee spoke out before I could.

"He wasn't bitten."

"Hell he wasn't." He starts to walk over to the boy. I didn't like that look in his eyes. "We have to end this, now."

The boy's father stood before him. Murderous intent in his eyes as well.

"Over my dead body." He said in a low growl.

"We'll dig one hole." Larry smirked.

"Back the fuck off right now Larry. This is your only warning." I growled. His mother soon pleaded with him.

"No, I'm cleaning him up! There is no bite! He's fine!" She begged.

"Don't you fucking people get it?" He snapped. He motioned between me and him. "We've already seen this happened. We let someone with a bite stay and-and we all end up bitten!"

"Shut up!" His father warned.

"We gotta throw him out! Or smash his head in!"

"Kenny, stop him!"

"Lee, what do we do about this guy?" He asked Lee.

"We reason with him." He said. I never thought he would be so diplomatic in a situation like this. I paid them no attention and stomped over to Larry. I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt.

"Let's get one thing fucking straight, you do not fucking touch this boy, understand?" I shouted. I never felt so angry before in all my life. "If you touch this boy I will kick your god damn teeth out!"

"Everyone just chill the fuck out!" Carley screamed. Larry shoved me off of him and I crashed up against a shelf.

"You keep your fucking hands off me." He glanced over at Carley. "And you. Shut the fuck up. They will find us and they will get in here, and none of this will fucking matter. But right now we're about to be trapped in here with one of those things."

"What are you talking about?" Kenny asked.

"He's bitten, that's how you turn!"

"He's not bitten." His mother argued before looking to Lee. "Lee, stop this! It's upsetting him!"

"Sit down, or that's it!" Lee threatened.

"You gonna whoop me?" He laughed. "You and what homo parade?"

"This one!" Kenny threatened.

"Larry this is your last chance sit down and shut up!" I snapped.

"Lee." The little girl called over from the end of the store, near the bathroom.

"Yeah?" He asked.

"There's someone in there." She said. This got my attention. Everyone else was still here. Lee shrugged it off.

"It's just locked. Key's behind the counter. Probably."

I walked over to the girl and she was startled when she saw me aiming my shotgun. I placed a hand on her shoulder and gently led her away from the door.

"Stay back kiddo." I warned. She nodded and took a few steps back.

I slowly reached my left hand towards the door knob. I squeeze it and slowly twist it open it and was soon attacked by a walker. I squeeze the trigger only to be met with the hollow 'click' of an empty chamber.

The walker lunged at me and I quickly bring up the shot gun between us and fend him off. His jaw was snapping at me before Lee managed to get him off. Carley quickly rushed over with her gun and shot the bastard in the head.

"You guys okay?" She panted. I rolled my eyes and gave her the thumbs up.

"Just great, thanks." Lee says skeptically.

That shot must have alerted the walker, because the walkers started to claw at the walls.

"Everyone stay down and be quiet." Lily warned.

We all remained quiet as mice. They were still clawing at the windows and doors. Hopefully they will hold.

It wasn't long before we all heard the sound of gun fire and screaming from out in the distance. It could either be military from the sounds of those automatic weapons or some trigger happy civilians. Either way they managed to lure the walkers away from us.

"Looks like we're in the clear for now." I said. Everyone breathed a sigh, well almost everyone.

"We almost died because of this bitch and her itchy trigger finger!" He snapped. I lower my hand to my nightstick. I gotta good view on the back of his head. All it would take is one strike and I could-no, not an option. I couldn't let myself slip away like that. I was so lost in my thoughts I didn't even realize that Larry was having a heart attack.

Lily was at his side in an instant. We explained to the group how he needed his pills, but we were locked out of the medicine cabinet. Lee assured Lily that they would get the pills.

"Everyone else should get comfy and look for anything useful. We could be in here a while." Kenny said. Glenn walked over to Kenny.

"I'm starting to think this drugstore isn't a permanent solution." Glenn stated. Kenny nodded.

"You're right, this ain't exactly Ft. Knox."

Glenn suggested that he would make a run for some gas. Lee gave him a walkie-talkie before heading outside. I walked over to the window and sat down next to Lily. I pulled out a handful of shells and started loading my shotgun. Lily gave me a stern look.

"What the hell was that?" She snapped in a whisper. I paid no attention to her and kept loading. "You almost got my father killed."

"No, he did a good enough job of doing that himself." I argued calmly. I glared right back at her and lowered my shotgun down on my lap. She eyed the barrel that was closely pointing at her. "I think we both know what will happen if he tried something like that again."

"You'll kill him?" She barked.

"I'll beat him within an inch of his life." I warned. She narrowed her eyes at me. "I don't give a shit who he is, or if he is trying to keep you safe. No one kills anyone without my say so. If I see a bite we wait for them to turn, unless they want us to kill them."

"My dad-"

"I don't care!" I growl through my teeth. "If he ever does anything like that again while I'm around I'll break his fucking skull open. Understood?"

She doesn't say anything and just nobs before turning back to her father. I scoff and just walk over to Kenny and his family. They don't say anything as I examine the boy.

"How is he doing?" I asked.

"Fine, no bite or anything his is just scared." The woman explains.

"I can't say I blame him." I looked over at Larry and shook my head in disgust. "Fucking Larry."

"What the hell is his problem?" Kenny asked aggressively

"Even god doesn't know, I'm Devon." I introduce. The man smile at me and offers me his hand. I reach mine out and shake it.

"I'm Kenny, that's my wife Katjaa and my son Duck." He nods over at his family. They don't seem like a band of criminals. So I try and break the ice.

"Are those your friends over there?" I asked acting as curious as I could.

"Nah, well I guess they are." He points over at Lee, who is talking to Carley and then to the girl sitting by the register, holding a walkie-talkie. "That's Lee and that is his, well I don't know who she is to him, but she is Clementine."

"Cute kid, so where did you guys come from?" A grim look spread across his face.

"We were up at a farm fixing up my truck." He started. I leaned against the counter and listened to his story. "The owner's son was fixing up his fence and let my son play on a tractor. He must have accidently turned the wheel, because the poor guy had his ankle run over. Then walkers came…there was nothing we could have done."

"Shit, sorry."

"Yeah, look I think your friend wants to talk to you." He nodded behind me over towards Carley. She gave me a curt nod and I walked over to her.

"Kay, talk to you later." I said to Kenny as I approached Carley.

"What is it?" I asked. She looked more worried than she did before. Her eyes drifted over at Lee who had just walked into the back room, Clementine followed him in as well.

"Okay, so I think I might know that guy from somewhere, but I can't have you freak out." She whispered. I shrugged my shoulders and pointed at Lee.

"He is the guy who killed that senator." I told her. She didn't look surprised. I think what she really wanted to talk about was what we were going to do with him. "You can breathe easy, I doubt he is going to do anything to us. It isn't like he is a serial killer."

"Still though…" She still looked uneasy. I tapped her shoulder.

"C'mon, let's go talk to him then."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

We both walked into the back of the room and into the office. I spotted Lee standing in the middle of the room. He was looking down at a photo in his hands, I couldn't see it though, but the look remorse was spread across his face. Carley spoke up and broke him from his trance.

"Find anything?" She asked. Lee jumped and turned over to us. He quickly held up the photo of the old couple that I had killed earlier.

"It's a photo of the family who owned this place. It might help us track down the keys to the office." He handed me the photo. I looked down at the photo of the old couple and a young man in scrubs. Funny, the side of the photo is torn off.

"Lee, we already know who you are." I said, handing him the photo back. He looked back at us with a skeptical look.

"You're Lee Everett. You're a professor at Athens who killed a State Senator who was sleeping with your wife. This is your parent's store; folks around town know the owners son got himself a life sentence, but I'm a reporter for WABE in Atlanta."

"The point is, we know you are a murderer and we don't really care to be honest we could use someone with dirty hands. We just want to know if you're going to be a problem or if anyone else knows?" He shook his head.

"No. I've been sticking to first names for a reason."

"Well you don't have any other records and you seem like an okay guy, so I think we can keep this all to ourselves."

"Not to mention we don't need the drama out there. You've got this girl to take care of, and look, don't make us wrong on this." She pleaded. Lee stepped forward and looked us both in the eye.

"I don't plan too."

"Good, then we have nothing to worry about." I chuckle and make my way out the door.

I felt a little tired after today and decided that this would be a good time to catch a few Z's. I tuck myself behind a small counter next to the sunglasses rack, shotgun in lap and slowly feel myself drift off to sleep.

I woke up a short time later to the feeling of being kicked. I was still half asleep, but I managed to make out the blurry image of Kenny.

"Hey, Glenn is back with the gas." He said. I let out a yawn and slowly got to my feet.

"Great, what's the plan now?" I asked.

"I'll take care of my family and everyone else. If I can get to my truck I can fil it up and we gan get everyone out of here quickly."

"My truck still has gas so let's just focus on your truck, but what do we do after, I mean where do we go?"

"Lee said there was an inn on the outskirts of town that looked pretty secure. So I guess we'll head there."

"Sounds good."

"Go and see Lee, he said he has a way to get the old man his medicine."

I nodded and headed over to Lee who was standing next to Doug by the main door. I noticed Lee had a bloodied axe in his hand and was covered it walker blood.

"What happened?"

"Glenn got stuck at the Inn." He explained. "Carley and I had to go and get him, that's where I got this." He held up his axe.

"Cool, so what is the plan?"

"Just follow us and keep quiet." Doug said in a hushed tone.

I nodded and slowly followed the two outside. The gate was still locked, but the walkers were still fumbling around in the dark. I looked over at where Lee was staring and saw a walker wearing scrubs. The poor bastard was Lee's brother, now a walker trapped under a power line.

I gripped my shotgun and Lee handed a TV remote to Doug. Doug fumbled with the buttons on the remote for a second before pointing at the TV's across the street in an electronic store and turns them all on.

Lee quickly breaks the lock off with his axe and grabs a nearby brick. He carefully steps outside, holds his arm back and chucks the brick through the window. The TV's let out loud ringing noises, drawing all the walkers towards them.

"Now's the time." Lee said as he gripped his axe.

"Be quick and be careful." I warned.

"Keep an eye out." He quickly sprinted over towards his brother. Doug and I kept an eye out for Lee. I looked over at Doug who looked nervous.

"So how do you feel about Lee?" I asked.

"I think he is a good guy, he is helping that asshole Larry isn't he?"

"Yeah." I smile. Lee was a good man who was dealt a bad hand.

I looked over at him as he brought his axe down into his brother's face. This action caused all of the walkers to take notice of him.

"Lee, move it!" I shouted.

Lee quickly sprinted over to us and made it back inside. Doug and I shut the gate and ran back inside before locking the door. Doug and I barred the door while Lee tended to Lilly and Larry. I looked over at Doug who was still panicking.

"Hey don't worry buddy, we're gonna get the hell out here real soon." I reassured.

"Y-Yeah, the sooner the better."

Just as he finally started to calm down, the damn alarm starts going off. Everyone quickly gets on their feet and get ready to leave. Lily tends to her father. Katjaa takes Duck and Carley grabs her gun. I grab my shotgun and a pair of aviators of the sunglasses rack.

Doug, Carley, Lee and I cover the front of the store. The four of us hold the door shut as best as we could before they started to get in. I hear Kenny shout out to me.

"Devon, we need your help they're getting in!" He shouted from the office. I looked over at Carley and Lee.

"Go, we got this!" Carley shouts.

I nodded and quickly run back into the office. I noticed a few walkers getting in and take them out with my shotgun.

"Go!" I shouted.

Kenny nodded and swung the axe Lee gave him earlier into a nearby walkers head. Katjaa and Lilly shut the doors behind us while we made our way to Kenny's truck. Glenn was already there filling it up.

I kept him covered and blasted my shotgun into the faces of every walker that came our way. I tried to reload after firing my last shell, but they just kept coming. I bashed he butt of my gun into the face of one walker before throwing my gun into the back of Kenny's truck and pulled out my pistol and nightstick.

I swung my stick into the head of a walker and sent him into the ground before striking him again, crushing his skull. I aimed my berretta at a few more walkers and popped a round into each and every one of their heads. I was starting to get nervous; they just kept coming and coming.

"Kenny!" I shouted, instead of a response I hear his trucks engine revving.

"We got it!" Glenn shouted as he rushed over to his car. Kenny laid on his horn and Lilly escorted everyone out, everyone except Lee and Doug.

"Where are Lee and Doug?" I asked. Larry looked over at me.

"They are both dead!" He shouted as he hopped into the driver's seat of my truck. I was shocked for a moment before hearing Clementine cry out.

"No, Lee was right next to me before that guy stopped him."

"Stopped him…god damn you Larry!" I shouted. I quickly rushed inside, Kenny as well. I rushed through the office and back into the store. Lee was on the ground unconscious as a walker started crawling towards him.

Kenny rushed in front of me and brought the axe down into the walker's skull.

"I'm not letting anyone else get eaten today," He held his handout to Lee who quickly took it and was helped to his feet. "Especially a good friend."

We quickly rushed out of the store and we all piled into the back of Kenny's truck and drove out of Macon. It took some time but we made our way to the hotel.

Lilly didn't waste any time cleaning up the place. Kenny was going over the supplies and Carley was mourning over Doug's death. I couldn't help but feel guilty. I should have let a gun for them. No, Doug didn't know how to use one, it wouldn't have mattered.

I look over at Larry and he is still scowling. I rushed over to him and quickly wrap my hands around his collar.

"I should kill you right now!"

"You can't, you're a cop!" He chokes.

Lily and Lee both rush over to me begging me too stop.

"Larry, this is your last warning. I don't give a shit if your daughter gets mad at me and I don't care what your intentions are. If you ever do something that endangers anyone in the group again and I will fucking end you!"

I push him away and shove my way past Lily and Lee. I take my back of guns and ammo into my new room and lock myself in for the night. I really didn't want to be bothered. I flop down on my bed and load my shotgun furiously.

'_How could a man be so quick to kill a man who helped him?'_ I thought. _'This guy is making me fucking crazy. This whole crisis is making me crazy. I just don't know what to do anymore.'_

I lay down on my bed and wonder how bad this is all going to get before getting better. I needed to calm down so I pulled out one of my books from my bag and try to relax. I opened my book right before the power went out in the entire Inn.

"God dammit!"


	4. Chapter 4: Eyes Open and Mouth Shut

**Chapter 4: Eye's Open and Mouth Shut**

**Authors Note: Thank you all once again for your support and reviews. I am glad you all enjoyed my last chapter and I hope you enjoy this next one.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Walking Dead of any kind.**

* * *

After we cleaned out all of the rooms and burned the bodies. We started to talk about turning the inn into a safe house for the time being. The only problem was that we didn't have much food. Aside from the small stuff I had in my truck and whatever Kenny had, it wasn't much to last us long.

So our first priority was to find food.

"Where are we going to find food?" Carley asked. We were all sitting by the fire behind the RV in the center of the lot while Larry took watch on top.

"What about the grocery stores or mini-marts?" Lee suggested. That wasn't a bad idea.

"No, it won't work." Carley sighed. Kenny quickly threw a glance at her direction.

"What are you talking about?" He asked.

"When we were driving over, before we met up with Devon, we saw a bunch of people raiding the Save-Lots." Everyone let out a frustrated growl when they heard that. "Who knows, maybe a group moved in and claimed it for their own."

I leaned down backwards and rested on the cold concrete. I turned my head over and glanced at Duck, Katjaa and Clementine who were all sleeping. They were pretty hungry before going to sleep. We needed to get some food fast. All we had were a few cans of beans and fruit from my partner's house.

"I got it!" Lily exclaimed. "The air force base where I use to work. We had a whole truck load of food we were going to fly out before all this had happened." Everyone's spirits started to lift.

"There's a chance it might still be there." Kenny chuckled. "No one would think about robbing an air base for food."

"Well I guess it's settled." I smiled. "I'll go first thing tomorrow."

"Wait, I know where it is." Lily stated. "I'll go with you."

"Okay, anyone else want to tag along?" I invited. "There is plenty of room for volunteers."

"I'll go." Lee said, raising his hand.

I nodded and was ready to turn in for the night before I heard a familiar yell.

"Out of the question!"

Lily must have told him the plan for tomorrow. I didn't have the energy to tell Larry that she had made up her mind. Then again, I didn't even care. Lily already knows she's going with or without her father's permission.

The next morning we all set out and made our way to the air base. We took my truck and drove off at first light. I took the wheel, Lee had shotgun and Lily had the backseat. We were confident in our plan. Lily had her rifle, Lee had his ax and I had my shotgun. I left Kenny the other rifle and Larry my handgun. I was uneasy about it, but he kept giving me shit about being a hoarder with my guns. I wanted to tell him how I was only trying to keep them out of undisciplined hands, but then I remembered I was arguing with stubborn, self-absorbed asshole.

"This is close enough, stop here." Lily said as we closely approached the base. I pulled over and shut off the engine. "Let's go." Lily quickly stepped out of the truck and we soon followed her.

There were walkers wandering around all over the place as usual. I hate seeing them like this. It made me feel like that could be me one day, wandering around without a soul while some hungry scavengers take a baseball bat to my head, and that would be that.

It pains me every time I kill a walker.

Lily and Lee rush in and take them out silently with their blades. I take my shotgun and bash their heads in with the butt of my gun. We were about to make our way inside a main hangar when we heard gunfire from the distance. A man was running across the field with a handgun and straight towards us.

"No, don't go in there!"

Lily and I raise our guns slowly and steady. The man took notice of this and raised his hands in surrender.

"Whoa, hold it!" He shouted. He was a young man with black hair and glasses. He didn't look like much of a soldier. "You don't want to go in there. I just checked and there is nothing but geeks in there!"

"What!?" Lily snapped. "That's where all the food is!"

I felt that heavy feeling creep up on me again. Was this shit ever going to end?

"N-No." The man wheezed. "I worked here. I was getting the food ready for shipping before this crap happened." He was panting badly at this point. I noticed that his face was red and he was sweating badly.

"Are you okay?" I asked out of concern and old habits from my job.

"Y-Yeah just got an empty stomach." He chuckled. "I've been on the move ever since this happened."

"We can help you." Lee suggested earning a disgruntled look from Lily.

"Thanks. I had a truck, but the damn thing won't start. I think the battery is dead." He panicked.

"I have a truck. I'll go get it." I said as I started running back towards the truck. "Lee, Lily you guys go back and help get the food ready!"

I rushed towards the truck and noticed that the walkers were getting more crowded by the main roads. I moved in close to the truck and fired at a few of them. When one got close I smashed it's head in with my gun.

One moved in closer and I aimed my gun and fired, only for that damn clicking sound to come out. The walker moved closer and I reached for my handgun except I ended up grabbing at my empty holster.

"Dammit Larry!" The walker reached out and grabbed me and knocked me on my ass.

I fended it off with my shotgun and fought back the vomit when it breathed its wretched breath into my nose. In our struggle I managed to work the bottom of my foot under its stomach and managed to kick it off.

I quickly pulled out my nightstick and bashed its damn brains out. I didn't have time to take a breath or load a shell before more of them crawled out after me. I quickly threw my stuff in the truck and slammed the door behind me.

I fumbled with the keys trying to get the right one into the ignition. I could hear their moans, feel them bumping into the sides and the screeching of their nails scratching against the glass. I finally found the right key and started the damn truck up.

I sped through all of these undead bastards and towards my friends. I pulled up and opened up all of the doors for them. They didn't waste a second before piling boxes into the back of my truck. I kept glancing back at the walkers as they slowly approached us. Once Lee got the last box in, he and I started to tie it down with bungee cables.

"You guys, they're coming!"

I looked back and saw that the walkers were approaching us. I quickly smashed my nightstick into an oncoming walker's skull that was creeping up behind me. I didn't kill it, as it was still twitching on the ground.

It clawed at me, causing me to jumped back right into a walker. Its rotten hands gripped me and my heart was racing at the thought of being bitten. It snarled in my ear, but I managed to shove the stick in its mouth, keeping it from biting me.

I was starting to lose control and could feel its teeth get closer to my throat. Lee rushed over and struck it in the back of its skull with his ax. I quickly pushed the now truly deceased carcass off of me and got the hell in the truck.

I sped off out of the air base and back to the inn without a single glance back.

We made it back at the motor inn and started unloading the food. Larry and Kenny had cleared a room out for our food storage. The furniture we put outside in the lot and the rest for barricading the lots entrances.

I looked over at Clementine who had her arms locked around Lee's waist. I had to smile at that. I guess Lee isn't that blood thirsty killer the boys at the precinct had made him out to be. Larry and Lily were still annoying pains in the ass.

The only people I could tolerate were Kenny and his family, Carley and our new friend Mark. On the ride over Mark told us how he use to work at the air base and how he handled the food and shipping departments.

Lily was uneasy about bringing along another mouth to feed, but Lee and I convinced her that he was the reason we could feed those mouths at all. So, she swallowed her attitude and allowed him to be a part of our group.

The next day we fixed up the wall that sealed up the lot. We used some of the dumpsters and couches to barricade the place. Things got a little better when I found some barbed wire in the back of truck.

Lee gave me a hand setting up the wire along the perimeter the next morning.

"Thanks again Lee." I said as we tied the wire to the dumpsters. "It's a pain in the ass to do this by myself."

"No problem." He smiled. "Besides, if it gets Larry off my ass it'll be worth it."

"Larry can go to hell." I snapped. "You've done more to keep this group together than him or Lily."

"Yeah, I can't say I blame her for her attitude." He said in a sympathetic tone. "That man treats her as bad as me. He acts like he loves her and respects her every choice, then he completely disregards her when it's something he doesn't want to hear." He looked over at Lily who was perched up on the RV with her rifle on her lap. I looked at Lee and gave him a pat on the shoulder.

"At least Clementine doesn't have that problem." I reassured. He turned towards me with a confused look.

"She isn't my daughter though." He stated a little defensively. I shrugged my shoulders.

"You could have fooled me. I'm just saying that I am glad that you found her and not him."

"Yeah, tell me about it."

We fished up with the wire and I called it a day.

Later at dinner time, we all sat in the lot around a fire. I noticed Lily had given us small portions of the food supply. The kids got some snack packs, Mark had some fruit for his low metabolism and the rest of us got some assorted snacks. Kenny looked down at his granola bar and scowled at Lily.

"You want to tell me why we are getting a snack instead of a meal?" He snapped. Lily didn't look up from the fire and her face still held that tired expression.

"We have to conserve food Kenny." She deadpanned, eating her fruit cup. Kenny got up from his chair and made his way to the food room. Sensing that a fight was about to erupt, I quickly stood up in front of Kenny.

"Kenny, she is right." I started. He was still marching forward. "We need to be conservative. It's only temporary until we get more food and figure out our next move."

He seemed to calm down a bit, especially when Lee walked up next to him.

"Kenny, he has a point." Lee said, sticking up for me. "Plus you said that you wanted to leave and go find your boat or something like that."

"What?" Lily asked. She quickly got up from her seat and walked towards us. "What do you mean leaving and what boat?"

"We pack up what we can and head off towards Savannah." Kenny argued. He and Lily were now face to face. Larry of course got up to defend his daughter. "Then we head to the pier and find a boat."

"And then what?" Lily snapped, Kenny didn't answer, not that he had any time before Lily bombardment him with more questions. "Let me guess, we go out into the middle of the ocean, run out of gas and then we starve to death?"

"Well what the hell are we going to do here?" He snapped back. "What's here that's so important?"

"It's safe!"

"We're sitting ducks out here in the open. Even if we do stay here we'll all just be dinner for the walkers!"

"Enough!" I shouted. I got everyone's attention after that. "Look first of all we don't even have a car, second of all Kenny is right. This place is good for now, but walkers or some sort of bandits will come here and gun us down. Third, Lily is right, we can't just run off an strand ourselves in the middle of nowhere. We need a real plan."

"He has a point you guys." Lee said. "We can't stay here forever and we can't just run away. So let's be conservative with our food and figure out our next move."

Kenny and Lily met eyes and they were still pissed off at each other, but they calmed themselves down and sat back down around the fire.

We got nothing solved.

Frustrated, I stormed off to my room.

"Devon."

I looked over at Kenny who was leaning on the hood of the RV. His arms were crossed and his expression was calm, so he wasn't looking for a fight.

"What's up Kenny?" I walked over to him, and he popped open the hood of the truck.

"This RV is in pretty good condition. It could hold us all and get us to Savannah with a little work of course." The engine didn't look too bad and our cars were busted up pretty bad.

"Sounds good, my tire popped and your truck stalled out didn't it?"

"Yeah…look I get where you are coming from alright?" He sighed before closing the hood. "I'm just looking out for my family."

"Yeah…It's not like I have anyone to look after anymore." I grumbled. Kenny patted me on the shoulder.

"Hey, we'll look out for each other. In the meantime I'm gonna need a hand with this truck." I smiled and nodded.

"Sure."

(Three Months Later)

Food was running low and tension was rising. Fall was upon us, judging from the color of the leaves. We decided to go hunting this morning. We needed some real food aside from the nibbles Lily handed out to us and even then there were still some of us going on a day without food.

Kenny, Lee, Mark and I would go out today in search for food. Larry said he would keep working on the wall, Lily would keep watch and Carley and Katjaa would watch the kids.

It would be a simple day, hopefully. When the four of us made it deeper into the woods we made our move.

"Okay so no shooting unless you have to and the key to hunting is patience." My dad took me hunting a lot when I was a kid so I knew what I was talking about. "Keep your eyes open and your mouth shut."

"Yeah, you got it." Mark nodded as she walked off with his rifle.

"Stay safe." Lee said as he shouldered his ax.

"Let's go Kenny, we're burning daylight." I cocked my shotgun and we made our way into the forest.

While we walked my old cop instincts were telling me that something eerie was lurking in this forest. My instincts were right when I saw a few broken arrows and shell casings lying next to large, freshly made blood stains. I knew we weren't alone in this forest.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Friendly Faces, Dark Intention**

**Authors Note: Thank you and sorry for the long wait, but here is the next chapter, please disregard the ending of my last chapter.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Telltales walking dead.**

* * *

It was another bleak and cold morning that day. The sun hadn't even risen yet and I could already tell we were in for a rough one. All that food we raided from that air force base was all but gone.

Lilly said we would have maybe a week's worth, if a few people go without food every day or so. It was a rough, but fair trade, at least until we found more food. For now everyone was keeping busy.

We actually turned the parking lot into a nice living area. Duck and Clementine were both coloring in the parking lot, while Carley napped on the couch near the RV. Lilly was sitting on a lawn chair on the roof of the RV with a scoped rifle in her lap. Her father Larry was using a rock to hammer in some nails on the boards of our reinforced fence. I still can't believe we couldn't find a hammer after all this time.

As for me, I was taking care of security and patrolling the fence. It wasn't long before Clementine started kicking a soccer ball to an old oil drum. I didn't care though as long as the kids were happy.

This went on for a minute before the sounds of a ball hitting a drum was joined in by the sound of a few twigs snapping and a rustle in the bushes. I looked up at, Lilly and she heard it to. She looked down at me and nodded. I took my position on our gate, which was a couple of dumpsters chained together and filled with heavy rocks and garbage, but they worked.

I aimed my gun out into the forest as Lilly did the same. She let out a whistle and everyone started to take cover. Carley got up from her couch and grabbed her Glock and aimed into the woods. I waited for what felt like forever, until Lee jumped out of the woods looking like he had seen a ghost.

"Get the gate open!" He shouted. "We got wounded!"

I set my gun down against the wall and started unchaining the dumpsters. Carley came over and helped me open up the gate. Lee ran in, followed by Mark and Kenny who were accompanied by a young boy wearing a blue letterman jacket who was helping a man who was bleeding out from his severed left leg.

"What the fuck happened out there?" I snapped as Lee carried the man into the parking lot and set him into the back of the pickup truck.

"Accident, or something, I don't know!" Lee shouted. "All I know is that the poor man got his leg stuck in a fucking bear trap!"

"Shit…" I whispered. The new guy's arrival started to stir up a commotion amongst our group. Larry and Lilly of course were pissed off at us for either bringing in strangers, bringing in mouths to feed or both.

Katjaa started working on our new guest while Lilly chewed out Lee.

"What the hell?!" She shouted, not caring that little kids were around us. "You can't just be bringing new people here! What are you thinking?!"

"We left the other one behind." Lee sighed with remorse. I guess there were more out there he tried to save. Lilly and Larry didn't give a rats ass though, they were still pissed about the new guys being here.

"Other one?!" She snapped. "Jesus, Lee! What if there are more of them?! What if they followed you here?!"

The boy who was standing near his friend pleaded to us.

"There wasn't anybody else." He cried out. "Just us!"

"How do you know he's not lying?!" Larry shouted. It was time I stepped in.

"Larry, one is a man with a severed leg and the other is a kid who looks scared shitless!" I shouted. "Besides, if this was a ruse I sincerely doubt that he planned on losing a fucking leg!"

"And we haven't even talked to these people yet." Carley weighed in. "Maybe they can be helpful."

"And many hands make light work, Larry." I said with a smug grin. "Especially if they don't have a bum ticker."

"Why you…!" Larry growled, stepping closer to me. Lilly stood between us.

"Devon, even you have to admit that there are some lengths people won't go to for food!" Lilly shouted in my face.

"Come on, Lilly." Mark pleaded. "These are people. People trying to survive just like us. We've gotta stick together to survive!" Mark made a good point, but Lilly always had to get the last word.

"The only reason you're here is because you had food. Enough for all of us." She argued. "But that food is almost gone, we've got maybe a week's worth left, and I don't suppose you guys are carrying any groceries, are you?!" She said with a snooty tone in her voice.

"Knock it the hell off, Lilly!" I snapped.

"Um, no." Ben mumbled during our argument. Mark had had enough and started to storm off.

"Fine. You guys fight it out then." He looked over at Ben. "Welcome to the family, kid." He walked over to the wall and started to reinforce it. I didn't know what to do now especially with, Ben. His friend was bleeding badly and I wouldn't be surprised if the shock hadn't killed him.

Clementine grabbed his hand and started to pull him towards her area near the RV.

"Come over here and see what I drew." She offered, she was such a sweetheart.

Ben was resistant at first, but he eventually followed her over to her and Duck's drawing area. That left Kenny and Lilly to argue with Lee and myself in the middle, yay, me. Kenny stomped up to Lilly.

"You know, you like to think you are the leader of this little group, but we can make our own goddamn decisions!" Kenny shouted at Lilly. "This isn't your own personal dictatorship!"

Carley rolled her eyes.

"Oh come on." She groaned. "You're being dramatic! Everything always turns into a power struggle between you two. I'm not gonna be a part of that." Great, now Lilly was starting to get more pissed off. I couldn't really blame her, but she didn't have to abandon everyone who needed a helping hand. Carley stomped away and Lilly glared at us.

"Hey, I didn't ask to lead this group!" She shouted defensively as she pointed to the rest of the group. "Everyone was happy for me to distribute food when there was enough to go around!"

I didn't need to listen anymore. I wouldn't have told her that she was right, that we needed to ration our food better but, if I did then, Kenny would have thrown a hissy fit about how I took her side. Then there was the matter with, Kenny.

He was close to fixing up thee RV that was left in the lot since we moved in here. I played my cards right by him by getting food for his wife and kid, but if I did anything to piss him off then I could kiss my ride goodbye and risk my chances out on the open road alone.

I watched Lilly pull out some nibbles from her back pack. It wasn't much, just a piece of jerky, half an apple and a couple of those cheese and cracker snack packs my mom use to pack in my lunch from when I was a kid.

I didn't notice it until now but, from the moment Lee had accepted those items everyone was looking at him, me included.

I turned away from Lee, and just kept looking out into the woods for anymore walkers. From time to time I looked over at the kid and to his friend. I was curious as to how he lost his leg. I would need to talk about this with, Lee.

Lee gave out food to Larry, Mark, Doug and Clementine. I guess he gave food to, Larry to avoid any more shit he'd have to throw at him. Mark was weak from missing a meal last night and the kids of course, because that is what a man does.

"Hey, Lee," I called out to my partner. "Can I speak to you for a second?"

"Sure," He walked over to me on the far side of the hotel. "Sorry about the food, I just thought…"

"Don't worry I had a granola bar last night. That isn't what I wanted to talk about." I assured him. "How did that man lose his leg?" His face fell when I brought that up.

"He was stuck in a bear trap set up in the woods. I tried to break him out of it, but there was no release latch and it was chained to a tree. Then the Walkers started to gather around us and I had to…cut it off." Lee muttered.

"You didn't know how to open the trap?" I asked. It isn't that hard to open a trap. My grandpa showed me how to open one when I was nine.

"Mark tried to, but he said it was altered. There was no release latch." This sparked something from my old cop days. I raised my thumb to my lip and started chewing on my nail.

"Hmm, did you know you needed a permit to hunt or lay traps in these woods?" I pondered out loud. Lee just gave me a shrug.

"No, but what does that have to do with Ben and Mr. Parker?" He asked.

"We've had a few incident reports in the past with traps being stepped on by civilians." I explained. "So, the town made it illegal to hunt in these woods without a permit. I'm not saying that some hunters didn't leave a trap in these woods, but who would leave one out without a release latch? That would constitute as assault with a deadly weapon and charged with attempted murder."

"That is strange, but more importantly why would they take the latch out at all?" Lee asked. "Were they afraid someone would steal their buck?"

"Maybe, there were some violent incidents like that with hunters in the past, but I don't know. Something just ain't sitting right in my stomach." I stated as I ripped the nail out of my cuticle.

"Old cop feeling or hunger?" Lee joked. I smiled and spit the nail out of my mouth.

"A little bit of both." I chuckled. It was nice f him to try and relieve the tension. I still couldn't shake this feeling I had though. I took one long look out into the woods. There was something out there hiding deep within the trees, something other than walkers.

"Lee, Devon!" Katjaa called out to us from the truck. We both made our way over to her and I felt an empty pit in my stomach when I saw the man, Mr. Parker Lee had called him, lying still in the back of the truck. Kenny approached as well and he let out a deep breath when he saw the teacher.

"He didn't make it, did he?" Katjaa shook her hear remorsefully.

"He…lost too much blood." She explained. Kenny didn't want to hear it and started to throw another fit.

"Goddammit!" He shouted before throwing something at the RV. "I'm getting sick of this shit!" He stomped over to the RV kicking away some garbage in his path.

I was getting tired of losing people as well. In the end though, maybe it was for the best. I hate thinking like that, but he would never be able to get around without help and in a tight spot I doubt he could rely on Lilly or Larry would help them. In the end it was for the best.

I was broken from my thoughts when, Katjaa started screaming. I looked over to her and I was shocked to see a walker grabbing onto her, wait, not just a walker, Mr. Parker.

"What the hell?!" I shouted. Lee and I were on the two in a second. The newly revived walker had its fingers in Katjaa's shoulders, but Lee was pushing on its forehead, keeping its mouth away from her neck.

I grabbed Katjaa's shoulders and pulled hard enough to break its hold on her. The two of us fell back onto the concrete as Lee shouted out for the axe. Wait, why didn't he have the axe?

Then I remembered he loaned it to, Mark who was using it to fix the fence.

"Shit!" I shouted before standing to my feet. Lee struggled against the walker and he finally managed to pin it against the rear window of the truck. Mark ran over and told Lee to get down before swinging the axe at its head.

The walker ducked, causing Mark to miss and smash the axe into trucks seats. He tried to pull the axe out, but it was stuck. I quickly pulled out my berretta and aimed it at the walker, who had Lee pinned on the ground.

"Shoot it!" He shouted. Not needing to be told twice I aimed my gun at the side of its head and fired a round into the side of its head killing it instantly. It collapsed on Lee who pushed it off of him instantly.

"You okay?" I asked him, offering him a hand. He took it and I pulled him up as he nodded.

"Yeah, thanks." He said between frantic breaths. It didn't take long for, Larry to throw in his two cents.

"Why'd ya bring him here in the first place, asshole?!" He shouted at Lee.

"Dad, calm down." Lilly said, concerned for his health.

"He didn't know he was bit, asshole!" I shouted back at Larry. He glared over at me.

"You're both gonna get us all killed!" He shouted.

Kenny was comforting his wife before leaving her to confront Ben. He gave him a shove, startling the boy.

"Why didn't you tell us he was bitten?!" He shouted. I noticed Ben was surprised look on the boy's face.

"What?" He exclaimed. Kenny pointed over at his now deceased friend.

"He was bitten and you didn't say a goddamn word!" Kenny shouted. I could tell he was angry about his wife's safety and not the boy's naivety.

"But he wasn't bitten!" He explained. "I swear!"

"Well your 'not bitten' friend here came back to life and tried to kill my wife!" I stepped between the two, mostly to protect the kid from Kenny.

"I know it was scary, but maybe he didn't know he was bitten." I said in the boy's defense. "We all know what happens when you get chomped."

"Wait, you all don't know?" Ben said skeptically. We all turned and looked at Ben. What didn't we know?

"What the hell are you talking about?" Kenny asked.

Ben looked nervous, but he took a breath before telling us what we needed to know about the walkers.

"It's not the bite that does it." He started to make me nervous. "You comeback, no matter how you die. If you don't destroy the brain, that's what happens. It's gonna happen to all of us."

Well, it's official, this is the worst day of my life and it is not even noon.

We were all infected with this thing. It would explain how it spread so fast. I never went a day without someone getting shot, stabbed or helping with a suicide. So, many people, oblivious to the fact that the person who just died would come back and bite them.

And it would happen to us one day. This world just looks bleaker every day. I looked over at Ben.

"You are sure?" I asked him. He was still nervous, but he confirmed it.

"When I first saw it happen, we were all hiding out in a gym and everybody thought we were finally safe. But one of the girls, Jenny Pitcher I think, I guess she couldn't take it. She took some pills. A lot of them." He started to look pale as he told the story. "Someone went into the girls' room the next morning and…God…"

"Shit man, I'm sorry." I sighed, giving him a pat on the back. We both jumped when Carley shouted out.

"Back off!" She shouted, pointing her Glock at two strangers. I ran over to my shotgun, which was still leaning against the fence, and grabbed it and aimed at the two.

One was older looking with neatly combed black hair wearing a black long sleeved shirt with white stripes on it. The other almost looked just like him except he was young with messy black hair and wearing a blue short sleeved polo shirt. The older one had two gas cans in his hands that he held up defensively.

"Whoa, guys relax!" He called out to Carley and I. "Me and my brother here we, we just want to know if ya'll can help us out." I didn't buy it. These guys looked a little to clean to be scavengers. Hell, their clothes looked like they just came out of the laundry for God sakes.

"We said, back off!" I enforced. But, Lee took the more pleasant approach.

"We don't want any trouble." He reassured them. The older gentleman smiled kindly.

"Of course. Neither do we." He lowered the cans to the ground, and introduced himself. "I'm Andy St. John. This is my brother Dan. We're just looking for gasoline." He stared at our home and nodded approvingly. "Looks like you folks got the motel locked down, which is fine, but if you could spare some gas we'd be much obliged."

"Why do you need gas?" Carley asked, her gun still trained on the two. This time the younger one spoke up.

"Our place is protected by an electrified fence." Dan informed us. I was standing next to Larry, and he started to look intrigued by this discovery. "Generators provide the electricity…"

"Our generators run on gas…" Andy told us. "Look, we own a dairy farm a few miles up the road. If ya'll be willing to lower your guns, we can talk about some kind of trade."

"How are ya'll doing on food?" Dan asked. "We got plenty at the dairy."

_My stomach rumbled at the mere mention of food that is how I am doing. _That's what I wanted to say, but if they were offering I would give them all the gas we had.

We had plenty since Glenn took his car and Kenny's truck broke down. The RV was filled and we had siphoned all we could from the wreaked cars that were left in the lot. If this guy had food then we could spare a few gallons.

Lilly was hesitant, but she looked over to Lee.

"Lee, why don't you and Mark and check the place out, see if it's legit." Lilly told him.

"I'll go with you too maybe they still have some respect for cops." I suggested. The two seemed reasonable enough. But my Oldman always told me a wolf always looks friendly in sheep's clothing. Carley holstered her gun and offered to back us up as well.

"So what are ya'll thinking?" Andy called out. Lee stepped towards the gate and made them an offer.

"You've got a deal." He said. "We'll bring some gas to your dairy. In exchange, you give us some food to bring back. We'll see how it goes from there." Andy smiled at the sound of that.

"Sound's fair." He agreed. "A couple of gallons should power one of our generators for a while."

With that we let them take all the gas they could fill in those cans before wandering into the forest. So far, the morning was a huge kick in the ass for us, but now we have a chance to get some food and a safe haven. This may turn out to be a decent day after all.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Good from Bad to Horrific.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Telltales the Walking Dead.**

* * *

The forest was actually quite pleasant today. I didn't see any walkers and the suspicions I had about the St. Johns were starting to go away as we talked about our past exploits. I convinced Ben to come with us. I didn't feel comfortable leaving him home with Lilly and Larry. He didn't care though, because the sad truth is he didn't have anywhere to go. Mark uplifted the gloom by talking to the St. John brothers.

"So, this dairy…you guys really have food?" Mark asked. Andy smiled and nodded.

"Sure do." He proudly stated. "We've lost most of the cattle, but we still have lots of milk, butter and cheese stocked up."

"And with the vegetables we grow, we've got plenty of food." Dan chipped in.

"That sounds like a hell of a set up you got. I can't wait to see it." I said while trying to sound optimistic, but I still had this feeling deep in my stomach. Maybe I was just anxious to get some real food in me.

"Yeah, but enough about us. What about you folks?" Andy asked. "How did you all meet?"

"Well, I am a police officer." I said. Andy looked surprised.

"A police officer, well that is someone I'd want to have in my group." He chuckled. "What were you, a detective?"

"No, just a beat cop. I got a call down at the hospital for an aggravated assault, but it turns out that aggravated assault was a reanimated corpse. I had to shoot my way out and from there I met a few people before setting up shop at the Inn."

"Damn, that all sounds hairy." Dan said. "What about you, Mark?"

"I was in the military, air force to be exact." Mark started. "That is where I met everyone. Devon, Lilly and Lee found me when I was looking for the food storage. I tried to sneak in and get in and get out, but I screwed up and got the attention of every walker in that base. I mean, thank God Lee showed up when he did. Right, Lee?"

"Yeah, why don't you tell us a little more about yourself, Lee?"

I looked behind to see Lee and Carley lingering behind us. I guess they were talking about Lee's criminal past. It's almost all they ever talked about when they are alone. I still think Lee should keep his mouth shut, but since Larry knows who he I it wouldn't really matter anymore. Dan asked where he was from.

"I grew up in Macon." Lee said.

"Right here in the heart if Georgia, that's what I like to hear!" He boasted. I guess he was a local boy after all. After that little detail he started to dig deeper, but into Lee's past, but into our setup in the Motor Inn.

"Ya'll seem pretty settled in that Motor Inn. Who's running things over there?"

"We work as a group, all of us looking out for each other." Lee explained.

"I hear that! There are so many dumbasses out there fighting each other these days…it's just stupid." Andy said in disappointment. He wasn't wrong about that. This world was filled with dumbasses trying to kill one another. The end of the world only made it worse.

"How many people ya got over there anyway?" Dan asked. I didn't like where this was going.

"Well, the kid here is our newest arrival, but we're all looking forward to some food. We really need it." Lee explained, not really answering Dan's question. Which was good, we didn't need to go into great details yet.

"Well, here's to helping each other out!" Andy quietly cheered. "Well, we'd love to get ya all out to the dairy. Like I said, we've got plenty of food, and quite frankly, we could always use an extra helping hand."

"In the summer, I use to help out on a goat farm." Ben said, getting in on the conversation. Dan nodded approvingly at that.

"Yeah, that's great." He said. "Everything helps!"

Andy started to tell us more about the dairy farm.

"Momma's been running the dairy for as long as I can remember, but now it's getting-"

"You think you're gonna cut me out of this?" A loud and angry voice shouted.

He was cut off by a loud argument taking place down the hill from where we were walking. The St. John brother both panicked and started to crouch down. Andy looked over at us.

"Get down!" He whispered loud enough for us to hear.

We all took cover in the dirt, bushes and behind a tree. We all looked down the small hill to see two men with masks and guns arguing about something.

"No one is trying to cut you out of anything!" The other man argued. I watched Dan glare at them before growling, 'Fucking bandits.' under his breath.

"Who?" Mark whispered, gripping his rifle to the point where his knuckle turned white.

"Those look like the people who raided my camp." Ben stated.

"Who are they?" Lee asked.

"Shh." Andy warned. "Fucking assholes is who they are."

I had the barrel of my shotgun aimed at one of them while Carley aimed her Glock at the other.

"There's only two of them." She whispered. She was ready to take them out. That was good, but I didn't want to risk alerting more their friends. I slowly reached my left hand over and lowered her handgun.

"We shouldn't, we don't know how many of them there are." I warned her. Dan nodded at what I said.

"He's right, there's a lot more of them." He whispered.

"Don't worry." Andy reassured us. "Danny and I have ya covered if something happens, but let's just wait this out and hope they move on." We spent months in these woods, why is it we are only hearing about these bastards today?

There is something else going on.

"FUCK YOU!"

I jumped when I heard those words shouted out. The man who started this conversation had kicked the other man in the center of his chest and knocked him back, before aiming his shotgun at his head and blowing it clean off. Everyone flinched when he fired it three more times at his headless, lifeless corpse.

The man stopped shooting and checked the corpse's pockets. He called him an asshole before storming off into the woods. I heard a disgruntled sigh next to me. I turned to see Andy shaking his head in disgust.

"The world out here has gone to shit." He muttered. He turned and looked at me. "Come on, let's get back to the dairy where it's safe."

I wasn't arguing with myself after that.

We followed the brothers for another ten minutes before stepping into a large plain field. It was beautiful. There was nothing but acres of grass going on for miles before ending at the tree line. The house was a white two story building with blue shudders on the side of each window and right on top of a hill and a few feet away was a large red barn. Then of course there was the fence covered in barbed wire and possibly running with electricity.

"Here it is. St. Johns Family Dairy." Andy said with pride. He was right to. I remember this place from when I was a kid. This was always a friendly family place, but it was led by a different St. John. "Ya'll can see how we've kept this place so safe."

"The fence keeps them out?" Mark asked.

"You betcha. They fry like bugs in a zapper." He stated. "We're pushing 4000 volts through that thing, with generators and amps."

"I'm going to assume that's a lot." Carley said with as much enthusiasm as she could. I let out a chuckle and pat Andy on the arm.

"Hell of a fine job you've done here." I complimented.

"Yeah, this is a really brilliant set up." Lee weighed in.

"Suits us just fine." Andy said.

"This place looks untouched!" Carley stated in awe. "You'd never know the rest of the world is in ruins."

"It's worth protecting, hence all the juice." Andy remarked as an older woman with red curly hair stepped down towards the gates, basket in hand.

"I thought I saw ya'll with company comin' down the drive!" The woman remarked as she walked down to greet us at the main gate.

"Guy's this is our mama." Andy stated, throwing an arm around the older woman. She smiled like a proud mother and politely waved at us.

"I'm Brenda St. John and welcome to the St. John Dairy!" She greeted us before Andy introduced us.

"This here's Lee and Devon. They are both from Macon."

"A couple of our old far hands were from Macon." She told us. "They grow 'em good there."

"They've got a few more friends staying at the old motel." Dan informed his mother. She let out a startled gasp as her face broke out in worriment.

"Oh my goodness that place is pretty vulnerable."

_How the hell would she know?_

"Have you got someone with survival experience to lead your group?"

"We all work together. Plus, we've got plenty of people with military experience." Lee said as he placed his hand on my shoulder. "Devon here was a police officer too, so he keeps an eye out for all of us."

"Oh, well, that is a relief." She smiled. "I feel safer now that we have a former law enforcer with us. Now that ya'll are here, we'll make sure you're safe and comfortable."

"We're awful hungry." Lee said. Brenda smiled and handed the basket to us.

"These are for ya'll. Baked fresh his morning." I looked down and my stomach roared when I saw them.

Fresh baked buttermilk rolls.

The sunlight made them shine like gold in the basket. These things had more value than gold these days. Without even asking or thinking, I reached in and grabbed one. I shoved the whole thing in my mouth and swooned in the buttery, fluffy taste.

"This is good." I said with a mouthful. I swallowed the whole thing in one gulp and I had to stop myself from grabbing another one. I needed to think of the group after all.

"Can't get stuff like that anymore, not without a cow for milk and butter, that's for sure." Dan explained. I guess they didn't lose all of the cattle. Brenda joined their son.

"That's right. Hopefully Maybelle will make it through this bout of whatever she's got and be with us for a good long while." She was a little optimistic, but luckily for her we have a vet in our group. Lee went to tell her, but Mark beat him too it.

"We have a vet! We could bring her here!" He eagerly suggested. "We can help you folks out."

"A vet!" Brenda exclaimed. "Oh, my! Our prayers have been answered!"

"Maybe our whole group could come…for the day…" Mark was hesitant, but I knew he wanted to move in the second we arrived. I couldn't blame him. This place was incredible. Brenda gave Mark a gentle smile and came up with an idea.

"Well how about this. Ya'll go get your veterinary friend, and I prepare some dinner. A big feast for all you hungry souls."

"That sounds great. I mean if it wouldn't be too much trouble." I said as politely as I could.

"No, it'll be nice to have some folks to help around here again." She turned to the youngest of her boys. "Danny, why don't you come help me out in the kitchen."

Dan nodded and headed inside with his mother. Carley, who had a roll in her mouth, tugged on my shirt.

"Why don't I head back with the food and round up everyone for the trip back here." She suggested. It wasn't a bad idea. I didn't feel comfortable leaving them all behind.

"I'll stay here with Lee, take Ben with you. I don't want to risk anything happening to you out there." I warned her before looking at Ben. "And you," I handed him my shot gun. "You know how to use this?"

"Y-Yeah…" He said in a shaky voice as he took my shotgun.

"Safety is off, keep your finger off the trigger and the barrel pointed away from the people you don't want to shoot." I explained. "You have seven shots, plus one in the pipe. Make them count."

"You got it." His face broke out in a halfhearted smile before he and Carley turned away. Mark handed Carley his rifle as well and we said our farewells before we turned to talk to Andy.

"Why don't ya take a look around?" He suggested. "Once ya get settled in, I could use some help securing the perimeter."

"Is there a problem?" Lee asked.

"Sometimes, the dead get tangled up in the fence before they fry and end up knocking over a post." He explained to us. "It'd be a big help if you three could walk the perimeter. You can learn a lil somethin' about our fence."

"We can do that." I offered to him. Andy smiled and nodded before grabbing the gas cans.

"I'm gonna go top off the generators before they run dry. Come get me when you're ready." And with that he was off to refill his precious generators. I looked over at Mark who was still freaking out about the fence.

"This place is incredible!" He said, practically jumping with joy. "It's got food! And that fence…oh man that fence! If we play our cards right, this place might turn out to be a place we can stay." He looked at me and his happy expression turned serious in an instant. "So how do you want to play this?"

"Slow and steady, that's how." I told him. "These people seem decent enough, especially when they're so willing to invite us into their home, but something just feels off. But we do have kids and we can't have them playing around the electrical fence. Right, Lee?"

"Yeah, we need to figure out if this place is as safe as they say." Lee stated.

"Right. Obviously they think it's safe, but is it safe enough for the kids?" I watched his gaze move over to a large tree with a broken swing hanging off a branch. "I noticed a broken swing over there. Not a big deal, but maybe there's other things that we can't see yet."

"Then we will just have to go and find them." I insisted. He nodded.

"And checking the fence perimeter sounds like a decent way to get a good look at their defenses." Lee suggested.

"Okay, keep your eye open, and find out what you can from Andy." I said before we all lingered away from each other and wandered around the farm.

Mark goes to investigate the fence while Lee goes and makes repairs on the swing. It was nothing major, but the effort would prove that we can pull our weight and we are happy to help.

After Lee had fixed the swing, Brenda was happy to see it fixed and she started to reminisce about how her boys and the kids loved to swing all day and night. She almost started to break down before returning back inside the house.

While Lee and Andy talked I started to make my way towards the barn, but before I could even make it to the gate leaving the house, Andy called out to me.

"Hey…what are you fixing to do around the barn?" Andy asked in a suspicious tone. I remember back in the day I investigated a barn that was a meth lab and the owner asked me the exact same question in the exact same tone. I relaxed my composure and put on my 'Officer Friendly' charm.

"Just trying to find a way to help out." I explained.

"Well, I appreciate that." He said, putting on his charm. "Tell ya what, we'll find ya something to do over there after we get back from securing the perimeter."

"Okay." I would not investigate the barn, yet.

So, the three of us work the perimeter. Andy turned off the northwest generators so we can pick off the husks that got tangled up in the wire. Lee had told me that he and Andy had got to talking.

"He wanted to know what kind of weapons we were carrying." He explained. I gave him a look.

"Did he ask for specifics?" I asked.

"No, and I didn't give him any." Lee said. "I just told him that you and Lilly keep us trained and prepared." When Lilly and I started to get some rifles and handguns, we began training exercises. Nothing major, just target practice.

"What about these farmhands they keep bringing up?" I asked while Lee cuts through the wrists of the dead walker hanging on the wire. I lift my boot up and kick the corpse off.

"He said that they stuck around for a while before leaving to find their families." We approached another walker with an arrow stuck through his head. I narrowed my eyes at it as Lee ripped it out of its skull.

That arrow wasn't one from those sets you buy at a sporting goods store it was hand crafted. Just like the one from that one bandit's crossbow. Lee pushed it off with his ax before we came across our last one. This one had tumbled over and knocked over the post.

"He's tangled up there pretty good." Mark stated as we looked over the mess before us. "Come on, help me get this thing back in place so we can get Mr. Crispy off of there."

"I think we can get better leverage from the other side." Lee said before hopping over the fence. Mark and I did the same. The two lifted up the fence posts while I removed the body from the fence. Things were starting to get situated, until the fences turned on and nearly killed the three of us.

"What the fuck?" Mark shouted as we all leaped back.

"The fences are on!" Lee shouted.

"Why the hell would he turn the fences on?! He knows we're out here!" Mark shouted. Just then, an arrow flew past my head and struck Mark in his right shoulder.

He stumbled onto the ground and soon enough the three of us were being shot at from the forest. I pulled out my handgun and aimed it into the forest as voices started calling out to us.

"I told you what would happen, you son of a bitch!"

"Get to the gate!" Lee shouted. I nodded and grabbed Mark by his left shoulder and dragged him to the gate, but that proved futile as we were cut off by a flurry of arrows. I carried Mark over to the tractor as Lee followed and we took cover from the bandits.

"We had an agreement. Now you're fucked!" Another voice called out.

After he had said that I started to get more suspicious of the St. Johns. That would explain how they knew so much about them back in the woods. Another arrow bounced off the tractor near my head, so my suspicions would have to wait.

Right now I had to get Lee and Mark to safety.

"With the fence on, that gate is our only way out!" Lee shouted.

"We use the tractor for cover," I explained. "I'll keep you covered, but I can't get a clean shot at them from here!"

Lee nodded and we started to push on the tractor, after pulling the blades out from the dirt and removing the chock from the front wheels. The tractor started moving slowly, but it provided us all the cover we needed. I would occasionally look up from our cover and see figures moving from tree to tree. I fired off a couple of rounds into the woods and slow down their rate of fire.

Lee got caught on a walker and he tried to move it, but the damn thing was still moving. I popped off a few more rounds and quickly helped him remove it from the front of the wheel. Its legs got stuck under the wheels so we had to rip it out, severing its legs from its body.

I put a bullet in its head and we continued on to the silo. From there I changed a new clip in my gun and told Lee to take Mark and get the hell out of here.

I looked up from cover and I spotted another figure moving to cover. I raised my gun and started shooting blindly. I managed to hit one, but I don't know if I killed him.

"You shot, Timmy!" A voice shouted. I didn't care though, I followed Lee out of the gate and closed it before taking off towards the house.

"You lucky sons of bitches! Go ahead and run! We ain't goin' nowhere!"


End file.
